Storms claim first fatalities in state

Three are dead after being electrocuted at a Madison bus stop during a storm Wednesday evening.

Madison Fire Department spokeswoman Lori Wirth says firefighters were returning from another call when they noticed smoke around a bus at the stop on the city's northside.

What they found was live power lines sitting in several inches of water and three bodies apparently electrocuted.

According to witnesses, lightning hit a power poll sending the live power lines to the ground landing in the rising water. A woman and child were electrocuted. A man on the bus at the stop jumped off to help and he was killed.

The bus driver also tried to help. He was shocked and hospitalized. Another boy standing near-by was also hospitalized. Their conditions unknown.

Others, who instinctively wanted to help the victims, were pulled away from the "charged" water. All they could do is stand-by and watch until power was turned off.